The City of Grande Prairie’s Mandatory Face Coverings (Masks) Bylaw C-1426 trigger point has been reached, meaning that face coverings and masks in indoor spaces are now required within the City as of October 26, 2020.

The bylaw is in effect for indoor, enclosed or substantially enclosed public places. It was triggered by a combined total active case number of over 100 within the City and County.

Schools, hospitals, or other health care facilities are excluded from the bylaw and should follow guidelines provided by provincial authorities. In addition, people working in buildings only accessible to employees, such as private offices and boardrooms, as well as public vehicle operators separated by physical barriers or physical distancing are not required to wear a face covering or mask.

Businesses are now required to display a sign created by the City in a location that is visible to a person entering the public place or vehicle when the trigger point is reached. Information on where to pick up a sign, or a digital download is available on the “Non-Medical Face Masks” section on cityofgp.com/covid19.

City enforcement is taking an education first approach to encourage compliance. If a resident or business remains uncompliant, the bylaw currently lists a penalty for failure to wear a face covering/mask when required is $100 and for failure to display prescribed signage is $200.

Face coverings or masks will no longer be required once the City and County fall below the trigger point for 14 calendar days, at which point the City will send out follow-up notification to the community.

The City of Grande Prairie thanks all residents for their diligence, understanding, and cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using face coverings or masks is an additional layer of protection against the spread of COVID-19 and will help protect the health of the public and the economy.

For information on the bylaw including a list of exemptions and guidelines for how to safely wear masks, visit “Non-Medical Face Masks” section on cityofgp.com/covid19.

About the Bylaw

The Mandatory Face Coverings (Masks) Bylaw was passed by City Council on September 8, 2020. Trigger points identified with the bylaw are a combined total active case number of 100 within the City and County, or a provincial relaunch status of “enhanced” in either municipality. The bylaw is effective until January 1, 2021, unless otherwise directed by Council.